Like most young girls, Jennifer Colvin was interested in the glamorous world of fashion modeling model. But when her height topped out at 5-foot 6, she knew that career was out the window. She did like sewing, however, and for her senior prom at the Basin Park Hotel, designed and made her own dress -- for fun.
A 2001 graduate of Eureka Springs High School, Colvin is now a surgical ICU nurse with a wedding/event planning business on the side in Bentonville, where she lives with son Aro Epley. She's also watched Project Runway from day one, liking the creativity and challenges. So when the fashion reality show announced a Superfan contest, Colvin decided to enter, and was one of eight women chosen.
The prize: appearing as a model on the show and have an outfit made just for her, which she modeled in the runway. Called the Real Women challenge, the episode aired on Sept. 19. Being thrown into the whirlwind world of fashion design was exciting, but is not what stood out.
"The most memorable moment was when I was standing alone after the runway show and Heidi Klum came over and stood beside me and we started talking about our kids," Colvin said.
With Aro's help, Colvin created a video entry for the contest, and then forgot about it. So when she was received a voice mail from the show's producer, her first thought was that someone was playing a joke on her. Then everything moved fast, she said, and by the time the trip arrangements were finalized, had less than 24 hours to pack and catch the plane. Being chauffeured around Los Angeles, having every last detail of the trip planned and being pampered by the producers and staff was amazing, she said.
"It was a small glimpse into the impenetrable world of celebrity and television," Colvin said.
For the show, she was paired with Los Angeles designer Braden McDonald. On a segment of the show on YouTube, McDonald said his first thought on seeing Colvin, who is slim with long blond hair, was that she didn't need a makeover. His second thought: that the challenge of transforming her lay in the fact that she couldn't look better. So he decided not have her be 'pretty-pretty' like she came in, but to give her a bad-girl look on the runway.
"And she's like great, that's what I want," McDonald said on the video, "and she looked fabulous."
Project Runway is a reality show that starts with a dozen or so designers who must design outfits for a different model each week given a limited time, budget and theme. Designers are eliminated each episode until the final three, who compete for the grand prize. For the Real Women challenge, McDonald designed a short black evening dress with a jacket for Colvin, who was given a make-over by L'Oreal and had her long blond hair bobbed. The outfit McDonald made for her earned him a pass to the next week's competition, Colvin said.
Colvin, who was born in Eureka Springs, said growing up in a diverse, artistic community prepared her to feel fairly at ease being on a television set and meeting the cast of designers. In high school, she was involved in art and athletics, and was on a championship cross-country team.
After graduating in 2001, she backpacked through Europe, then lived in southern California and worked for an airline, continuing to travel. Realizing that higher education would open doors, she earned a nursing degree and now specializes in working with patients recovering from open-heart surgery. She's also the owner of Dolce Vita Events NWA, and has coordinated weddings in Eureka, including one at Thorncrown Chapel and the Crescent Hotel last month. Her grandmother, Lois Johnson, lives in Berryville. Aro's grandparents are Charles and Janet Epley of Carroll County Abstract and Title Company.
Project Runway airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. CDT on Lifetime. The Real Woman challenge is Episode 10 of Season 12, and is posted on the show's website until Oct. 20.
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